The present invention relates to coupon dispensing machines and coin sorting machines.
There are a variety of machines which dispense stamps, tickets, coupons, money orders, bank transactions or the like. One type of machine, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,848 to Raymond Stoken, dispenses coupons in exchange for money. A display area indicates the different coupons available as well as the specific amount of money required to obtain each particular coupon. Money is inserted into the machine via a coin slot. Control circuitry determines which coupon has been selected, the amount of money required to purchase this coupon, and if the correct amount of money has been inserted into the coin slot. The control circuitry then causes the coupon dispenser to dispense the requested coupon.
Other machines dispense other types of products. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,967 to Lawrence Smith is a money order dispensing machine. This machine is meant to be operated by a system operator, not a customer, and therefore does not require the capability to receive money. The machine prints money orders on a dot matrix printer after receiving the necessary data inputs from the operator.
Such previous devices are deficient from the point of view of a consumer with an arbitrary amount of coins, since they require the input of an exact coin value. Further, the device requires a mechanism for determining if the required amount has been deposited and for taking an appropriate action depending on whether the required amount is deposited.
A different variety of machines has been patented which sort coins. One such machine, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,848 to David Goh uses two methods to sort coins, both methods based on the diameter of the coins. In this machine the coins are loaded into a hopper. A rotating wheel feeds the coins individually onto an inclined ramp. The coins roll down the ramp with their rear surfaces resting against a support surface. Specific denominations are selected when they fall through slots of varying size located in the support surface. Specific denominations are also selected using peeler knives which are arranged at different distances from the ramp surface. These knives topple the coins from the ramp into bins. Using both techniques allows a short ramp to be employed. Another type of machine shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,122 to Yoshio Kinoshita counts the number of coins according to denomination after sorting the coins.
Devices intended for counting/sorting coins are deficient in that the monetary value remains based in the coins, i.e., there is no transfer of the value from the medium of coins to a more convenient form such as a paper form.
Furthermore, a number of counting and sorting devices are deficient for certain other reasons. Many devices, while having some form of waste control device, have been unsuccessful in completely controlling waste which may be mixed in with coins. As a result, many previous devices are only suitable for operation by an experienced or skilled operator and are not suitable for use by the general public who may be less careful about including foreign or waste material among coins. In particular, many previous devices were designed to admit coins into the counting device at such a rate that it was not possible for each coin to be individually exposed to the waste control device, i.e., such that some coins may block others from the waste control system.
Some counting/sorting devices have had complicated or ineffective control of the flow of coins so that it was difficult, or expensive to prevent unacceptably high surges of coin flow from jamming or otherwise overwhelming the sorting/counting mechanism. Some devices were designed to permit only a slow entry of coins into the counting/sorting mechanism but, in some cases, this was done at the expense of the ability to accommodate a high volume of coins and/or has resulted in unacceptably slow operation.
Many previous devices have been designed with insufficient accommodation for maintenance and/or cleaning so that it was difficult or impossible to adequately clean, maintain and/or upgrade such previous devices.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a device which receives an arbitrary amount of coins, i.e., which does not require insertion of an exact minimum amount and which converts the value of the coin from the inconvenient medium of coins to a more convenient medium. It would be further advantageous to provide a device which provides for effective and efficient waste management such that the device can be used by the ordinary consumer without resulting in jamming or damage of the machine. It would also be advantageous to provide for a device which accommodates a high volume or flow of coins without permitting surges of coin flow which can interfere with the counting/sorting and/or waste management systems, without complicated electro/mechanical machinery and, preferably, taking advantage of a gravity mechanism. It would also be useful to provide a device which efficiently and conveniently provides the sorted coins in a standard sized coin bag which is conveniently accessible.
The present invention provides an apparatus which can receive a number of unsorted coins. The coins are sorted and counted to determine a total value. The user is issued a voucher for an amount related to the total value.
The present invention offers a valuable service to the retailer in whose store this machine is placed as well as to the actual user. People tend to collect coins at home, finding that carrying large quantities of coins is unwieldy and impractical. Furthermore, spending coins normally requires either placing the coins singularly into product dispensing machines or counting the coins out by hand. This invention allows the user to periodically exchange excess coins for cash vouchers. The user need not first count the coins since the present invention automatically counts the coins. The advantages to the retailer are numerous. First, although the voucher is exchangeable for cash or merchandise, most customers are likely to purchase goods at the store where they exchange their coins. Second, by offering a convenience to their customers, retailers gain the goodwill of these customers. Thus, the present invention provides a voucher issuing machine in which the amount of the voucher is not preset, and also allows coin sorting by a typical consumer.
In one embodiment coins are placed in a hinged hopper tray or xe2x80x9ccoin trayxe2x80x9d built into one of the machine""s surfaces. To activate the process the user presses a xe2x80x9cstartxe2x80x9d button (preferably a xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d button) and then lifts one edge of the tray, causing the coins to fall down a chute to the high speed coin sorting and counting mechanism. Preferably, the hopper tray is configured to be angled downward and away from the chute or xe2x80x9ctransfer tray.xe2x80x9d Thus, the hopper, in the lower position, and the transfer tray form an angled or peaked structure which the coins must travel over in order to enter the transfer tray. Preferably, the angles of the transfer tray and hopper are configured such that, as the hopper is lifted, the coins travel over the peak substantially in a single layer such that there is little or no substantial overlie or blocking of a coin travelling over the peak by other coins. After travelling over the peak, the coins pass through a gate or slot. The gate or slot is preferably opened or closed by a solenoid control mechanism.
A waste control system includes a fan, a magnetic system, and various types of perforations in the hopper and the transfer tray. Preferably, the fan blows in a direction from clean-to-dirty, over the top of the hopper, thus blowing each coin individually as it passes over the peak. In one embodiment, there is a split-path or dual path for the cleaning airflow, one path being over the peak and another path being up through the hopper perforations. Preferably, the magnet is configured at or near the peak such that each coin (or waste item) is exposed to the magnet without being blocked by other coins or items. Coins are counted and sorted by denomination and then dropped into standard-sized coin bags. In one embodiment, as the coins are counted, the total monetary value is displayed on a video screen as well as the number of coins counted within each denomination. A controller prints and dispenses a cash voucher to the user via a slot in the machine""s surface.
Besides exchanging cash vouchers for coins, one embodiment of the invention dispenses manufacturers"" coupons from a separate slot redeemable for various bargains. These coupons are dispensed at no cost to the user. Preferably, this coupon dispenser can operate either in conjunction with, or independently from the coin sorter and voucher dispenser. A second type of coupon to be dispensed in one embodiment are store coupons. In one embodiment, these coupons are good only for specific bargains unique to that store (or chain of stores). For example, the store manager may have a surplus of a particular item and therefore wish to offer a xe2x80x9ctwo-for-onexe2x80x9d bargain for a limited time. Selected products and bargains may also be promoted on the video display. These promotional techniques have the advantage of being easily alterable; thus an individual store manager can tailor the store coupons/ads depending upon factors such as the time of day (e.g., midday grocery store shoppers versus after work shoppers versus late night shoppers) while the chain store owner can vary the store coupons/ads depending upon a particular store""s location and needs (e.g., deli shop versus bakery shop versus floral shop).
Generally, in the prior art, coins are either inserted into a machine singularly, or in the case of large commercial sorting machines, by trained personnel. In the present invention, non-trained personnel will dump large amounts of coins into the hopper tray. These untrained users are likely to empty their personal containers, such as old cans or bottles, directly into the hopper without first inspecting the coins. Thus lint, tokens, liquids and various other objects will probably accompany the coins into the machine. Therefore, a method of waste management is used to insure that the machine is not damaged during use.
In one embodiment, the user dumps coins into a hopper tray which doubles as an inspection area. The bottom of the hopper tray is perforated, thus allowing small foreign objects to fall through the perforations instead of entering the coin sorting mechanism. While the coins are in the hopper, the user has an opportunity to remove large foreign objects. The perforations also permit a flow of air, preferably in a direction up through the bottom of the hopper tray and away from the peak and/or the machine, to blow light material off the coins. After inspecting the coins, the user first presses a xe2x80x9cgoxe2x80x9d button indicating the wish to use the machine, and then lifts one edge of the hinged tray, causing the coins to fall down a waste management chute. If desired or needed, the user can guide coins out of the hopper and over the peak by hand. The chute leads to the coin sorting and counting mechanism. In one embodiment, when the xe2x80x9cgoxe2x80x9d button is pressed, the coin sorter starts, the coin counter is initialized, and a fan within the waste management chute is activated. The fan blows light weight debris, such as lint and dust, out of the chute and away from the coin counter/sorter mechanism. The bottom surface of the waste management chute is a grooved and porous plate which allows any fluids dumped into the machine to be removed from the coins and collected. This helps to avoid possible damage to the machine. Magnetic strips are placed preferably along the entrance and exit areas of the chute, to extract any magnetic or magnetically susceptible items, such as magnetic tokens and/or foreign coins which may have been included with the coins.
In one embodiment, the device includes features to prevent undesired surges in the flow of coins, e.g., to prevent or avoid jamming and to assist in waste management. The peak configuration between the hopper and the transfer tray described above, contributes to controlling the flow of coins into the hopper tray since the configuration provides that the coins will be moved over the peak in single layers or planes thus, avoiding excessive coin flow surges. The coins, after travelling over the peak, pass through a gate, having a height adjusted to further assure that coins travel down the transfer tray in single layers or planes. Preferably, the gate can be closed or opened, e.g., by a solenoid-controlled gate so that movement of items down the transfer tray is blocked until the desired time (e.g., until the user has pressed the xe2x80x9cgoxe2x80x9d button and/or has initially lifted the hopper). Further, the pivoted hopper tray, because of its angle in the lower or resting position, provides for self-clearing since, when the hopper is lowered to its resting position, the coins tend to fall away from the peak and the chute, back into the hopper and do not continue to move over the peak in normal conditions.
Preferably, the apparatus is controlled by an intelligent controller, e.g., a computer such as a 486-class computer, and is provided with multiple resources and capabilities for interaction with the user, with the store owner or other manager of the apparatus and with maintenance services and/or personnel. In one embodiment, the computer includes a sound board for providing aural communication as well as video communication. In one embodiment, the computer includes a modem for remote communication to, for example, a central or a regional (out of store) location, e.g., for downloading information such as new coupons, additional video or audio displays, sales or other promotional information and the like. In one embodiment, the modem can also be used for communication with maintenance services or personnel, for example, for diagnosing malfunctions, downloading modifications or upgrades to the software and the like. Preferably, the computer can retain and transfer statistical information such as information relating to customer usage of the sorter/counter, customer usage of dispensed coupons and the like.
In one embodiment, the device is configured for ease of construction, maintenance, and cleaning. For example, in one embodiment, the device is configured so that all major components can be fully exposed, (e.g., by opening doors) without being obstructed by cross-bracing or other supports. Preferably, many components are mounted on rails or rollers so that they can be fully or partially withdrawn for cleaning and/or maintenance.